At the age of 18, Patty Bayman met the love of her life. A jazz instructor at Chadron State College in Nebraska, Brian Bayman was handsome, kind, and a talented saxophonist. The two tumbled headlong into love and prepared to enjoy a long, happy life together. Little did they know of the difficulties that lay ahead. After their marriage, Brian and Patty moved to Bordeaux, France, where Brian had landed a prestigious position studying music with a renowned classical saxophonist. The couple enjoyed their time in France, learning the culture, meeting new friends, and savoring their life together. But then the unthinkable happened. Brian landed in a French hospital with a deadly form of encephalitis. Heartbroken, Patty watched her beloved transform from a vibrant, talented young man to a frail invalid, one who no longer could walk or even talk.
Yet Patty refused to abandon her husband, and after they returned to the U.S., she cared for him without complaint. Day after day, for sixteen years until his death, Patty fed him, bathed him, talked to him, and cared for him with a selflessness borne out of her incredible love for him.
A tender love story and candid memoir, Afterall shares Patty's struggles, her hopes, and her unfailing determination and strength in the face of adversity. But even more, Patty and Brian's story illustrates the incredible power of the human spirit and the beauty of true love.